Where I live there is very little badminton going on in spite of some good facilities. The problem seems to be getting youngsters to take an interest in it instead of computer games and their phones. There are very few adult players but it would be useful to generate local interest except I cannot see an incentive for them to get involved.
How old are your youngsters? I mentioned in another thread that trying to get teens interested is already too late.
Reach out to schools to try and organise a demonstration/playing session in a school's PE class. Many children are never exposed to badminton at all, and badminton is never even a thought in their mind. If you have 2 players with a nice technique come in and showboat a bit, trick shots, some big smashes, it can make an impression. All you need is that a few kids go home and ask their parents about it. Of course the younger they start, the better it is for their development, but take what you can get. Badminton isn't 'cool'. A poster promoting boxing or karate classes will be far more interesting than a poster or flyer promoting badminton. Kids need to see high level badminton being played to realize how great badminton can be. Repeat every year with a new class. The fact that badminton exists as a sport that can be played locally needs to exist in the minds of as many people as possible.
This problem has been around for at least 25 years. When I was younger, my Mum would make me do Hockey at a junior club. It was ok, then a friend stopped going, then I decided I would rather spend my Sunday mornings playing video games and watching tv etc. I did like the sport, but I would get terrible shin splints from running on the pitch. I regret giving up a tiny bit, and when I tried to do it again some 20 years later... still had the shin splints issue. I picked up badminton properly when I was about 21 and i've stuck with it. I'm not great at things like football, darts etc. But badminton is a sport I do well in and can improve. -- I understand this problem. Sometimes it's down to the venues and how they are run. The local Leisure Centre where I live regularly book out the hall and give badminton players the middle finger so to say. We literally block book whole months and maybe with 2 weeks notice they will say "sorry, tough the hall isn't available that day". They also charge a ridiculous amount for a court (like £16 for an hour of play). We've complained to Badminton England and nothing came about from it. -- Best way in my opinion is to get the kids playing. Have a motivational person or coach in charge of the session and make it fun. I forget the name of it, but it was something like "smash time" and it was an after school club initiative thing to get kids interested. "No strings" is good on the whole but is more aimed at Adults and the session quality varies depending on where you go. -- It would be great if more adults just got playing with their children / family and got them interested in it.
Kids are like new book. Nothing writen on it. So write something to their book. Expose them to alot of badminton stuff & they will get interest with it. After they got interest then how to maintain their interest is what need to be worked on next. Little story about my friend. He is not a badminton player. He just hate his kids just stuck with their gadget want to try get rid of it. So sometimes he come to badminton hall just to see me or some other in action. He sometimes borrow my spare racket just for fun stroke with the kids on the side of the court. Then he watch badminton match on TV. Little by little his kids got interest & let go of his gadget wanting to buy racket for playing. Tho my friend havent plan to get a coach & just fun stroke, but well his target to makes his kids move his butt works well.
